Fuel-heater for internal-combustion engines



L. A. COUCH FUEL HEATER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-14.!92Q.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

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#1216 Jame UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

LOYAL A. COUCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

Application filed January 14, 1920. Serial No. 351,396.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOYAL A; COUCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel- Heaters for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, it being more articularly an improvement in fuel heaters or such engines, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The foremost object of my invention is to provide a simple, electrically operated fuel heater, which consists principally of a fine resistance disposed across the current of carbureted air, for the purpose of heating this air before it enters the intake manifold.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical resistance for the purpose described, the wires of which are so fine that the flow of air will not be impeded.

()ther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which 2-- Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, illustrating the application of the improved heater between the intake manifold and carbureter connection,

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the heater mounting,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. E,

Fig. i is a plan view of the mounting with the insulating resistance-carrying collar in place, a part being shown in section to illustrate a binding screw,

Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the insu iating" collar,

Fig. 6 is a artial elevation and section taken substantially on the line (36 of Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a diagram of the wiring connections. 8

In carrying out my invention I provide a mounting 1 which is shaped substantially like the flanges 2 and 3 of the manifold and carburetor connections 4 and 5 respectively, and is preferably made of brass. This mounting has a central opening 6, merging with a semi-circular annular recess 7 and an annular recess 8 of greater dimension, for the purpose of providing the shoulder 9.

At one side there is a recess 10 with a, counterbore 11. The insulating collar 12, which carries the fine resistance wire 13, is mounted in the opening 6 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The semi-circular annular recess 7 is for the pur ose of making room for those portions 0 the resistance wire 13- threaded on the outside of the collar, the space left around the ex osed parts of the wire, preventing metallic contact.

. When'the parts are assembled as in Fig. 1, the flange 1 1 of the collar 12 is clamped between the flanges 2, 3 so that the heating element is firmly held in place. One end of the resistance wire 13 is grounded at 15, the other end running to the binding screw 16 which-occupies the counterbore 11 but is insulated by suitable washers and sleeve 17 18.

In operation the starter switch Sw is closed so that current flows from the battery B over wire 19, through switch Sw, starter S and returning to the negative pole of the batteryvia wire 20 and the ground connections. The current divides and in part energizes the resistance web 13, thereby generating heat at the sametime that the engine is started.

As is obvious from the foregoing, the improved heater is adapted more particularly for use in cold weather when it is difficult to start the engine by reason of the cold fuel. Practice has demonstrated that the application of heat to the fuel before it enters the intake manifold, makes the starting of the engine easy.

As pointed out above, the wires of the resistance 13 are so fine that the fiow of gas is not impeded. The energization of the heater occurs simultaneously with the start ing of the car. There are only two main pieces in the improved heater, namely, the brass mounting l and the insulating collar 12 with its resistance web.

ile the construction and arrangement of the improved heater as herein described and claimed, is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim t---- 1. A. fuel heater, comprising a mounting, and an insulating collar fitting in an opening in the mounting, with carried resistance means, said openmg being arranged to avoid contact with exposed portions of said means.

2. A fuel heater, comprising a metallic manifold flange-shaped mounting, with a central opening having a semi-circular annular recess and a larger annular recess forming an intermediate shoulder; an insulating collar occupying said opening, with a flange resting in the larger recess against said shoulder Where it is fastened; a fine resistance Wire threaded across the collar from side to side, the exposed portions occupying the semi-circular recess to keep from touching, one end of the Wire being grounded; and a binding screw insulatively mounted at one side of said mounting, receiving the other end of said wire.

LOYAL A. COUCH. 

